1982 Rover Mini — MOT failures & pass rate
295 MOT tests on the 1982 Rover Mini are in this dataset, and 80.7% of them passed. City cars of a similar age fail at 18.4%, so the 1982 Mini sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 13.6% of all tests — 4.4 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are non catalyst emissions, service brake performance and headlamp aim — non catalyst emissions alone was recorded 20 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1982 Mini fails 19.1% of the time in the 0-30k band and 17.1% at 60-90k, a spread of only 2.0 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 16.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 22.8% in 2021 to 12.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.6% | 40 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.2% | 27 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 6.8% | 20 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.4% | 19 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.4% | 16 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.4% | 16 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non catalyst emissions | 20 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 18 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 15 |
| 4 | Rear fog lamp | 14 |
| 5 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 11 |
| 6 | Individual direction indicators | 10 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.3% | 48 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.1% | 24 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 8.1% | 24 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.1% | 18 |
| 5 | Brakes | 5.4% | 16 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.1% | 15 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 68 | 19.1% |
| 30-60k | 92 | 20.6% |
| 60-90k | 117 | 17.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 79 | 22.8% |
| 2022 | 109 | 21.1% |
| 2023 | 42 | 14.3% |
| 2024 | 33 | 18.2% |
| 2025 | 32 | 12.5% |
What to check before buying a 1982 Mini
On a 1982 Mini, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (13.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.2% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Emissions & environmental (6.8% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 1982 Rover Minis pass their MOT?
80.7% of the 295 1982 Rover Mini MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1982 Rover Mini?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.6% of tests, followed by brakes (9.2%).
Does the 1982 Mini get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.1% in the 0-30k band to 17.1% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 295 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.